The Acolytes of Vod
The Acolytes of Vod are a fanatical and militant religious group with strong ties to The Four Kings. Their progenitor was Vod of Anthea, an Orphean priest who stood in opposition to Magical Inclusionism and magic in general. Although their numbers have dwindled substantially since The Great War, their presence is still felt in certain areas of Libitina. History The Acolytes of Vod came to full power in the early days of The Great War. Common folk distrusted the vain, prideful, and mega-wealthy Great Houses, who utilized magic frequently. This allowed various political or religious groups to gain popular support through demagoguery by linking magic to the slights and ills caused to society by the aristocracy. Vod of Anthea was the son of a poor farming family who held to these beliefs. Vod was a deeply religious man and spent most of his young life as an acolyte before becoming ordained and serving in fringe communities. During his time in the Orphean orders, he gained a following for his fiery and impassioned speeches calling the people of his kingdom to follow Orpheus and turn away from their own pride and wrongdoings. Magic was often linked with decadence and sinfulness in his speeches. At a time where many Orphean institutions had become corrupt and inefficient, this back-country preacher was held in high regard by the local populace as a man of sincere word. Over a period of time, many people and clergy gave their allegiance to Vod, and a kind of movement began to coalesce. Many histories believe that a falling out by the warrior monk class with the head Patriarch of the Orphean Church allowed Vod to capitalize on their distrust and fold them into his movement, allowing for a military presence in the land. When the Four Kings rose to power, Vod saw an opportunity to see his vision of a magic-free land manifested and pledged allegiance when open combat began. Beliefs Like many Orphean groups of their time, The Acolytes of Vod were adherents of the central tradition of many followers of Orpheus. However, their one zealous facet was their violent opposition to the Magical Inclusionism movement. Vod of Anthea believed that Magic was an abomination wrought upon mankind by outer world daemons. Magic is seen by this group as a wild untameable force either dangerous to its users or wielded with the intention of manipulating and controlling others, most notably the poor and uneducated who would not already have access to the knowledge of magic. It is seen as such a danger and evil element that Vod allowed violence in order to quell or curb its use in areas where the group had greater control. Many public hangings, burnings, and stonings were carried out by the Acolytes of Vod in concordance with these beliefs. Orpheun Scholars have at many times openly debated this theology, and many have cited that nowhere in The Books does it ever explicitly condone a violent response to magic, let alone any response one way or the other. This led many early detractors to label them a cult, due to their fanatical devotion to one leader, and their many deviations from traditional theology. Structure